Cruising Right Along Multiple businesses utilize port

THERE SHE ISBeauty pageant reigns on

WHAT’S FOR DINNER?Plenty of choices to chew on

What’s Online Take a glimpse of the murals along the Mississippi River in a quick video.

SpONSORED by THE VICkSbuRg-WARREN COuNTy CHAMbER OF COMMERCE

2011 | IMAgESVICkSbuRg.COM

VICkSbuRg, MISSISSIppI

®

Vicksburg/ Warren County

Port of Vicksburg

WorkingServing as a transportation thoroughfare for port businesses and drawing the advanced technology of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Mississippi River is truly the backbone of business in Vicksburg. The three commands of the Corps of Engineers (Engineering Research and Development Center, Vicksburg District Office and Mississippi Valley Division), have spurred economic growth and helped to define the area as a leader in emerging technologies. Interstate 20 and Highway 61 also intersect in the heart of Warren County, providing access to both manufacturing and service industries.

PlayingDiverse recreational opportunities await you in Warren County. Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy fishing in our many lakes and rivers, hunting, golfing, hiking, and more. History buffs can immerse themselves in our National Military Park, Old Courthouse Museum, Antebellum Homes and other historic sites. Five casinos line the riverfront and offer lively gaming, entertainment and dining options. Surely, there is something for everyone in our wonderful city. 

City of Vicksburg P.O. Box 150 • Vicksburg, MS 39181

(601) 636-3411 • www.vicksburg.org

Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce 2020 Mission 66 • Vicksburg, MS 39180 (601) 636-1012 • www.vicksburgchamber.org

livingVicksburg offers everything that people love about Southern living. You will find that our community is rich in genuine Southern hospitality and home to some of the friendliest people you will ever meet. A mild climate allows for year-round outdoor activities and a low cost of living (median home price is approximately $120,000) makes the area attractive to old and young alike. Residents also enjoy access to quality community health care and a strong network of education systems.

learningIn addition to the rich experiential learning opportunities provided by the Vicksburg National Military Park and educational museums, Warren County offers a combination of first-class education systems. Private and public elementary and secondary education options are available. Continuing education opportunities are provided by Hinds Community College and several four-year universities are within an hour of Vicksburg. Students can even earn a PhD through their studies at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Graduate Institute.

US Army Corps of Engineers –

Mississippi Valley Division

Mississippi River

The Juke Joint Restaurant

Lorelei Books

Cedar Grove Inn Mansion & Restaurant

Container Shipping

Opportunities

Beechwood Elementary School

Building Business .Building Com munit y.

Vicksburg/ Warren County

Port of Vicksburg

WorkingServing as a transportation thoroughfare for port businesses and drawing the advanced technology of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Mississippi River is truly the backbone of business in Vicksburg. The three commands of the Corps of Engineers (Engineering Research and Development Center, Vicksburg District Office and Mississippi Valley Division), have spurred economic growth and helped to define the area as a leader in emerging technologies. Interstate 20 and Highway 61 also intersect in the heart of Warren County, providing access to both manufacturing and service industries.

PlayingDiverse recreational opportunities await you in Warren County. Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy fishing in our many lakes and rivers, hunting, golfing, hiking, and more. History buffs can immerse themselves in our National Military Park, Old Courthouse Museum, Antebellum Homes and other historic sites. Five casinos line the riverfront and offer lively gaming, entertainment and dining options. Surely, there is something for everyone in our wonderful city. 

City of Vicksburg P.O. Box 150 • Vicksburg, MS 39181

(601) 636-3411 • www.vicksburg.org

Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce 2020 Mission 66 • Vicksburg, MS 39180 (601) 636-1012 • www.vicksburgchamber.org

livingVicksburg offers everything that people love about Southern living. You will find that our community is rich in genuine Southern hospitality and home to some of the friendliest people you will ever meet. A mild climate allows for year-round outdoor activities and a low cost of living (median home price is approximately $120,000) makes the area attractive to old and young alike. Residents also enjoy access to quality community health care and a strong network of education systems.

learningIn addition to the rich experiential learning opportunities provided by the Vicksburg National Military Park and educational museums, Warren County offers a combination of first-class education systems. Private and public elementary and secondary education options are available. Continuing education opportunities are provided by Hinds Community College and several four-year universities are within an hour of Vicksburg. Students can even earn a PhD through their studies at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Graduate Institute.

US Army Corps of Engineers –

Mississippi Valley Division

Mississippi River

The Juke Joint Restaurant

Lorelei Books

Cedar Grove Inn Mansion & Restaurant

Container Shipping

Opportunities

Beechwood Elementary School

Building Business .Building Com munit y.

2 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 3

2 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 3

Images Vicksburg is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is

distributed through the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce

and its member businesses. For advertising information or to direct questions

or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080

or by email at info@jnlcom.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce

2020 Mission 66 • Vicksburg, MS 39180Phone: (601) 636-1012 • Fax: (601) 636-4422

www.vicksburgchamber.org

VISIT Images VIcksburg ONlINE AT IMAgESVICkSbuRg.COM

©Copyright 2011 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067,

(615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced

in whole or in part without written consent.

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Member Custom Content Council

Member Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce

pROjECT MANAgER MITCh klINeON THE COVER eAgle lAke AT SuNSeT

pHOTO by BrIAN McCord

VICkSbuRg, MS

®

cOntents

Features

8 THERE SHE ISBeauty pageant reigns on

12 CRuISINg RIgHT AlONgMultiple businesses utilize port

26 WHAT’S FOR DINNER?Plenty of choices to chew on

departments

4 Almanac

16 biz briefs

18 Chamber Report

20 Image gallery

22 Education

24 Health & Wellness

28 Arts & Culture

30 Sports & Recreation

32 Community profile

33 Through the lens

2011 EDITION | VOluME 3

all or part of this magazine is printed on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

please recycle this magazine

What’s Online imagesvicksburg.com

See more photos in our online photo gallery

Get the inside scoop from our photographers’ blog

Easily share articles and photos on Facebook, Twitter or via email

Photos

Digital eDition

Facts & statsDig deeper with in-depth data on industries, schools and more

ViDeoGet a moving glimpse at favorite local places and attractions

Real estateLearn about the local housing market and get started finding your place

iMagesVicksBurg .coM 5 4 VicksBurg

Welcome to Vicksburgan introduction to the area’s PeoPle, Places and eVentsan introduction to the area’s PeoPle, Places and eVents

Start With ArtIt’s hard to miss Vicksburg’s claim to art

fame. The 32-panel Vicksburg riverfront

Mural displays both the city’s history and

its emphasis on the arts. It first went up in

2002, and over seven years the mural has

been added to and enhanced, leading to

its completion in 2009. The mastermind

behind the project, artist robert dafford,

designed and created each mural from a

specific event in Vicksburg’s history. In

2005, the $2.8 million Art Park at Catfish

row was completed, contributing to a

rebirth of the city’s downtown scene.

Almanac

At the CorpsThe u.S. Army Corps of engineers

Vicksburg district encompasses 68,000

square miles in three states with a $220

million annual water resources program.

established in 1873, the district is one of

the largest civil works districts in both

size and activities, and the city’s second-

oldest employer. Current projects include

transforming a dry-dock area into an

interpretive center and museum, which

should be open in the fall of 2011.

Stay ConnectedA directory of businesses in Vicksburg is just a button push

away. The Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce has

joined My Chamber App, which can be downloaded to mobile

devices such as smart phones and the iPad. The app helps users

quickly find businesses, discounts and events in the city. And

with free Wi-Fi offered downtown, it’s easy to go online and find

what you’re looking for.

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WARREN

Yazoo R

.

Big Black R.

Vicksburg

JacksonTo Jackson

Vicksburg at a glance

Take a gamblelooking for exciting casino

action, delicious dining and

friendly service? Then head to

the river, where five casinos are

located along the Mississippi

river in Vicksburg. They offer a

combined 171,000 square feet of

gaming space, more than 450

hotel rooms, live entertainment

and restaurant options. The

Ameristar Casino is the largest

with 1,600 slot machines, 29 table

games and a pair of lounges.

other casinos in the area include

horizon Vicksburg, diamondJacks

Casino and rainbow hotel Casino.

Fast Factsn Vicksburg is known as the red carpet city of the south for its hospitality.

n riverfront Park is a popular family destination, with walking trails, picnic tables and grills, and, of course, a lovely view of the river.

n the city is home to the world’s longest-running melodrama, Gold in the Hills.

n Vicksburg is one of only 21 certified retirement communities in the state.

n coca-cola was first bottled in 1894 in Vicksburg. some of these prized early bottles are on display in the Biedenharn coca-cola Museum.

n the Vicksburg national cemetery is the second-largest national cemetery in the united states, second in size only to arlington national cemetery in arlington, Va.

Vicksburg

What’s Online Take a virtual tour of Vicksburg, courtesy of our award-winning photographers, at imagesvicksburg.com.

pOpulATION (2009 ESTIMATE)Vicksburg: 24,896 Warren County: 48,175

lOCATIONVicksburg, the only city in Warren County, is in west-central Mississippi at the confluence of the Mississippi river and yazoo river, and on Interstate 20 at the midpoint between dallas and Atlanta. The city is 40 miles west of the state capital of Jackson.

bEgINNINgSFirst settled by the French, Vicksburg

was incorporated in 1825 and named

for Newitt Vick, a conscientious

objector of the American revolution.

FOR MORE INFORMATIONVicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce 2020 Mission 66 Vicksburg, MS 39180 www.vicksburgchamber.org

6 VicksBurg

6 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 7

get golfingWhether you’re looking for a

leisurely match or a high-stakes

game of golf, you’ll find it at the

private Vicksburg Country Club.

This course was built in 1929

along the Mississippi river. like

many courses built at the time,

Vicksburg Country Club is short

by today’s standards, measuring

only 6,059 yards from the back

tees. As a result, the par-70 layout

rewards precision shooting over

pure power. But the lack of

distance does not mean this is an

easy course. Vicksburg Country

Club is built on rolling terrain,

which can result in some difficult

lies. The fairways are tight, the

greens are small and there are

several water hazards that come

into play throughout the course.

Shop ‘til you dropgrab your walking shoes and head to the city’s only indoor shopping

destination, Vicksburg Mall. Anchor stores at Vicksburg Mall include

dillard’s, Belk, JCPenney and goody’s, along with dozens of smaller

shops and restaurants ensure shoppers will not travel far for convenience

and variety. Shopping for a bargain? Find exactly that at the Vicksburg

Factory outlets located off I-20. This outdoor outlet center offers more

than 20 name-brand stores that sell merchandise 30 to 70 percent off

suggested retail. Popular stores include: gap outlet, oshkosh B’gosh,

rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Van heusen and more. you can also

admire brick-paved streets that glow in the old-fashioned gaslights while

you shop in downtown Vicksburg. Washington Street is aligned with

small shops that sell everything from trendy to rare, including a number

of antique stores, Art and Soul, and Willingham’s Inc. If you are looking

to spend the day, there are a number of restaurants, cafes, museums and

galleries to check out while in the area.

Pride in the ParkThe Vicksburg National Military Park draws hundreds of thousands of

visitors each year, largely because of the site’s pivotal role in the American

Civil War. But for those who live here, it provides an artistic amenity

unparalleled elsewhere. The park commemorates the campaign, siege

and defense of Vicksburg – the gibraltar of the Confederacy – prior to

its surrender on July 4, 1863, and contains more than 1,340 monuments,

a restored union gunboat and a national cemetery. The nearby Vicksburg

Battlefield Museum is a combination of the Vanishing glory and gray &

Blue Naval museums, and has become so well known for its collection that

it was referred to as a “gold mine” by producers for the history Channel’s

Great Ships series.

iMagesVicksBurg .coM 9 8 VicksBurg

iMagesVicksBurg .coM 9

VICkSbuRg HAS HOSTED MISS MISSISSIppI FOR MORE THAN 50 yEARS

There

STory By lAuRA HIll | PhoTogrAPhy CourTeSy oF SuSAN ElDERTON

Not every city devotes a week each year to beautiful, talented and brainy young women, but

as host of the Miss Mississippi pageant, Vicksburg has enjoyed that distinction for more than 50 years.

Each summer, more than 45 contestants from around the state arrive in Vicksburg for a week of parades, meet-and-greets, autograph parties, balls, competitions in talent, swimsuit and evening gowns, and thorough grilling by judges, all in hopes of winning college scholarships. It's quite a week for those competing – and a citywide project to keep it running smoothly.

“We've got an outstanding group of about 150 volunteers who work on the pageant,” says David Blackledge, the pageant's executive director and chairman of the Miss Mississippi Corporation board. “People really enjoy working on it. It's a labor of love.”

While preparations go on year

She Is

the newly crowned Miss Mississippi 2010, sarah Beth James left: Miss Mississippi’s outstanding teen 2009, laura lee lewis, sings for the judges.

10 VicksBurg

round, during pageant week Vicksburg is hopping. Contestants arrive on Saturday and settle in to their hotel before a gala parade that evening down Washington Street, followed by an autograph party. Competition begins on Wednesday evening at the Vicksburg Convention Center, and continues through Saturday evening when the winner is announced.

Miss Mississippi Has Economic Clout

Fun? Absolutely. But besides highlighting its social calendar, the pageant has a major impact

on Vicksburg's economy.“Our convention center holds 2,100

people and we have fully 1,500 people from out of town who come here and spend an entire week,” Blackledge says. “The impact is in excess of a million dollars. When you add gasoline, food, f lowers, hotels and shopping, it multiplies quickly.”

The Miss Mississippi pageant, an official preliminary to Miss America, came to Vicksburg in 1958. For 24 years prior to that it had moved to a different town each year, leaving the competition without continuity or financial support. When the Miss America program

granted Vicksburg the pageant, all that changed. That year, Mary Ann Mobley won the crown and went on to become Miss America the following year. The second year of the Vicksburg pageant saw a second Miss America from Mississippi, Lynda Lee Mead.

Vicksburg has supported the pageant so deeply that it became one of the leading providers of scholarships in the Miss America program. Blackledge estimates some $8 million, 95 percent of it from Vicksburg, has been awarded to Miss Mississippi contestants over the years.

10 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 11

Clockwise from top left: Miss Mississippi 2010 sarah Beth James and her princess; Miss Mississippi’s 2010 outstanding teen christina Bostick performs; crowns; christina Bostick; Miss Mississippi 2010 contestants perform

Mississippi Teens CompeteIn addition to the Miss Mississippi

pageant, Vicksburg hosts the Miss Mississippi Outstanding Teen competition early in June, a preliminary for the Miss America Outstanding Teen Pageant. Even younger children have a part to play: The pageant’s Magnolia Prince and Princess program gives kids 8 to 11 a chance to appear in shows, the parade and other activities during the pageant week.

An invaluable part of the week are the pageant's hostesses, who volunteer to chauffeur contestants to events, stay with them all day and, most importantly, serve as “fill-in mothers who can talk to them and comfort them,” says senior hostess Pam Dorrell.

Vicksburg, she says, embraces the pageant – and the pageant has helped Vicksburg, too.

“People may not know where Vicksburg is, but when you tell them it’s where the Miss Mississippi pageant is held – they know that.”

12 VicksBurg

Cruising

pHOTO by bRIAN McCORD

iMagesVicksBurg .coM 13

Right Along

pORT OF VICkSbuRg IS A MAjOR Hub FOR TRANSpORTINg

gOODS TO AND FROM THE ENTIRE COuNTRy – AND THE WORlD

STory By lAuRA HIll

Cruising

14 VicksBurg

From the Port of Vicksburg, you can easily reach New Orleans or Memphis on the Mississippi River. Or maybe the east or west coast. Or, if you like, you might even travel halfway around the world.

One of the largest inland ports in the country, the Port of Vicksburg imports and exports nearly 14 million tons of freight each year, sending and receiving barges of cotton and steel coils, soy and pig iron, aluminum and crude oil, and much more to and from destinations around the world. The port, owned and operated by Warren County and the Warren County Port Commission, in 2004 was ranked 11th among U.S. inland ports, based on trip ton miles. Its geographical location, halfway between Memphis and New Orleans, and its outstanding road and rail connections make it a major player in the Southeast – and a stalwart of Vicksburg's economy, home to 22 businesses and industries.

“The port is very critical to Vicksburg,” says Wayne Mansfield, executive director of the Warren County Port Commission. “When you look at our industrial base, we have industries that have been here 50 years or longer, one more than 100 years. And the majority have some tie to river transportation.”

Vicksburg port AmenitiesThe port's infrastructure is impressive. The slack-water

harbor is large for an inland port, approached through a channel whose 12-foot depth is maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, keeping barge traffic moving smoothly. The port itself is 600 acres, most of it privately owned. A rail/road loop allows direct access to barges, warehouses and other services. It boasts a 150-ton mobile crane, two 15-ton overhead cranes, all-weather loading

and unloading, and 135,000 square feet of storage.“We are very much a regional port in terms of the

Southeast, because it's a multimodal facility – lose to interstates and rail, so it's a convenient place for goods to be onloaded or offloaded,” Mansfield says. The port, he notes, supports 2,500 jobs.

business Calls port of Vicksburg HomeAmong the leading businesses located in the

Port of Vicksburg:• Kinder Morgan, whose 11-acre terminal handles paper,

steel, packaged and dry bulk products, barge loading, unloading, stowage and handling. It operates the port's largest crane.

• Anderson-Tully Lumber Company ships more than 200 containers overseas each month from the port. Established in 1889, the company is one of the leading hardwood lumber producers in the U.S., maintaining more than 300,000 acres of timberland along 700 miles of the Mississippi River. The company employs 300 people at its port facility.

• Vicksmetal/Armco supplies slit steel to the transformer industry. In 2009, the parent company Summitt Steel Holdings Inc. launched Vicksmetal Company, a $4 million investment. The company employs 55 at its 26,500-square-foot facility at the port.

• Ergon Refining, one of the largest manufacturers of napthenic-process oil in the world, is capable of processing 25,000 barrels of crude oil daily. Specialty Process Fabricators, a subsidiary of Ergon's parent company, designs and manufactures process equipment and machinery such as pressure vessels and custom pipe.

a golding Barge line boat (above) leaves the port. anderson-tully lumber company (right) ships more than 200 containers overseas each month from the Port of Vicksburg.

pHOTO by bRIAN McCORD

14 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 15

16 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 17

BusinessBusiness

Biz BriefsBusinesses – Both large and sMall – that helP define

VicksBurg’s econoMic cliMate

scorecardbuSINESS AT

A glANCE

$440 millionAnnual retail sales

$16,980Retail sales

per capita

$261 millionAnnual hotel

and food sales

1,955Total number

of firms

source: u.s. census Quick Facts

gOlDINg bARgE lINEBiz: Transportation companyBuzz: A third-generation family-owned and -operated company, Golding Barge Line consists of a f leet of 10 boats and more than 40 barges that transport refined products and petrochemicals throughout the United States. Steve Golding, GBL’s president, began the company in 2001.www.goldingbarge.com

VICkSMETAl COMpANyBiz: Electrical steel processing companyBuzz: Working to become the primary supplier of wound cores to the transformer industry, Vicksmetal Company uses the most modern equipment available to ensure quality products and customer satisfaction. The company also creates cores for a variety of voltage regulator manufacturers.www.vmccore.com

16 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 17

MAV 6Biz: Defense contracting companyBuzz: Formerly known as ARES Systems Group, Mav 6 was created in May 2007. The company, contracted through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, focuses on developing software to protect the U.S. military. Mav 6 is comprised of technologists, strategists, analysts, engineers and more.www.mav6.com

ROCA RESTAuRANT & bARBiz: Restaurant and barBuzz: ROCA Restaurant & Bar offers a casual dining experience, serving dinner and lunch with brunch available on Sundays. Owned by Jay Parmegiani, who is also the chef, guests can enjoy entrees such as seared tuna and Angus filet. In addition, ROCA offers a banquet room that can be rented.www.rocarestaurant.com/roca

CORpS OF ENgINEERS CHAMbER OF COMMERCEBiz: Chamber of commerce chapterBuzz: Operating as an entity of the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce (VWCOC), the Corps of Engineers Chamber of Commerce Chapter began more than 15 years ago to provide interested Corps employees a way to participate in the VWCOC.www.mvk.usace.army.mil

18 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 19

Business

chamber reportMeMBers Benefit froM new PrograMs and eVents

It wasn’t long ago that the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of

Commerce found itself at a bit of a crossroads. With its staff in transition and numbers stagnant, the chamber was known primarily for its networking and social events.

“That was not necessarily a bad thing,” Christi Kilroy says, who took

over as executive director in 2006. “But the board knew that the community needed the chamber to be more – a collective voice of business, a visionary organization that could inform and guide its members to a more productive and bright future.”

Kilroy and company set about building that future, revitalizing its

Where Customers Rule & Charity Benefits

New: (877) 776-4770Used: (877) 276-3041

4105 E. Clay St.Vicksburg, MS

www.vicksburgtoyota.com

membership and growing its numbers along the way. Today, the chamber boasts more than 400 companies and over 1,000 associated representatives.

Members on the MoveOver the past five years, the

chamber has worked to improve its events – both in terms of content and support. Attendance has nearly doubled at monthly luncheons and ribbon-cutting events. And new events are drawing great interest and support.

Issues That MatterThe chamber board also has taken

a more proactive approach on key business issues, traveling to Washington, D.C., to lobby for support of local projects. The organization also has worked closely with the Mississippi State Chamber to advocate for critical base-load energy legislation. Another important issue is education, and the chamber is determined to show newcomers that Vicksburg-Warren schools can compete with neighboring communities.

partners in progressRecognizing that teamwork is

key, the chamber regularly partners with member businesses and other organizations in the community. The chamber recently joined forces with various entities to stage its first Southern Hospitality Academy. The one-day workshop on customer service received rave reviews and is expected to become a regular event.

Another example is the Vicksburg Area Job Fair, made possible through the partnership of the chamber, local businesses and the Governor’s Job Fair Network. The 2010 event included around 60 employers and 1,600 job seekers, and more than 450 job offers resulted from the event.

“Partnerships with other agencies here in Vicksburg have been paramount to our success,” Kilroy says. “We work together for the common good of the community.”

– Amy Stumpfl

18 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 19

buSINESS ClIMATEVicksburg is home to a strong working foreign trade zone port,

a solid industrial and manufacturing base, and a healthy retail

and service industry.

ECONOMIC pROFIlE

TAxES

7%total sales tax

INCOME

$21,399Per capita income

$46,330average annual household expenditure

gOVERNMENT OFFICES

Vicksburg city hall1401 Walnut St.

Vicksburg, MS 39180

(601) 801-3411

warren county government1009 Cherry St.

Vicksburg, MS 39180

(601) 636-4415

www.co.warren.ms.us

WORkFORCE

75% white-collar Jobs

25% Blue-collar Jobs

MAjOR EMplOyERS

usa engineer research

& development center

1,600 employees

river region

health systems

1,500 employees

Vicksburg-warren

school district

1,300 employees

usace, division/district and

Mississippi river commission

1,100 employees

ameristar casino

900 employees

ECONOMIC RESOuRCES

warren county

Port commission

(601) 631-0555

www.vicksburgedf.org

Vicksburg-warren county

chamber of commerce

2020 Mission 66

Vicksburg, MS 39180

(601) 636-1012

www.vicksburgchamber.org

greater Jackson alliance

P.o. Box 3318

Jackson, MS 39207-3318

(601) 948-3111

www.metrojacksoneda.com

Mississippi economic

development authority

501 N. West St.

Jackson, MS 39201

(601) 359-3449

www.mississippi.org

EDuCATION

28%associate degree

13%Bachelor’s degree

10%graduate degree

TRANSpORTATION

Jackson evers international airport100 International dr., #300 Jackson, MS 39208 (601) 939-5631 www.jmaa.com (Located about 56 miles from Vicksburg)

Port of Vicksburgwww.vicksburgedf.org

Vicksburg Municipal airport5855 hwy. 61 S. Vicksburg, MS 39180 (601) 636-4925 www.airnav.com

Vicksburg-tallulah regional airport175 VTr Airport rd. Tallulah, lA 71282 (877) 720-5260 www.airnav.com/airport/kTVr/A

nroute transit2501 halls Ferry rd. Vicksburg, MS 39180 (601) 636-1053

20 VicksBurg

A riverfront mural titled A Center of Commerce at the Century’s Turn

Photo by Brian McCord

Image gallery

iMagesVicksBurg .coM 21

22 VicksBurg

The next generation of

leaders isn’t very hard

to find in Vicksburg: just

peek into any classroom.

Vicksburg-Warren schOOls lead state

From pre-kindergarten

programs all the way through

high school and college,

Vicksburg and Warren County

have education covered.

The district has more Advanced

Placement classes than almost

any other system in Mississippi.

The district’s more than 9,000

students also have access to the

gifted and Talented educational

Services Program and

Mississippi Scholars Program.

priVate schOOls giVe Vicksburg parents a chOice

Private schools are another

quality option here, with some

of the state and region’s best

right in town. Among them is

Vicksburg Community School,

which works with above-average

and gifted students; Porter’s

Chapel Academy and Campus

Preparatory Christian School,

faith-based college preparatory

schools; and the parochial system

operated by Vicksburg Catholic

Schools, which includes

St. Aloysius high School and St.

Francis Xavier elementary School.

Vicksburg higher educatiOn OptiOns keep grads lOcal

At the higher education

end of the spectrum, Vicksburg

continues to excel. There are more

than 14 colleges and universities

within a 50-mile radius, including

hinds Community College. The

largest community college in the

state, it enrolls more than 19,500

students annually.

offering degree programs

since 1917, hinds also has a full

a real class actVicksBurg educational offerings include college, uniVersity

education

hinds community college, the largest community college in Mississippi, provides a variety of courses, such as practical nursing (above and right).

22 VicksBurg

roster of athletics so students

and locals alike can cheer on the

eagles year round. hinds also is

engaged in local economic

development efforts, working

with businesses and elected

officials to provide customized

training and retraining programs

for new and existing industries.

For a more specialized

approach, check out the graduate

Institute, a collaboration between

the u.S. Army Corps of engineers,

louisiana State university,

Mississippi State university

and Texas A&M university. This

program allows students to earn

specialized undergraduate and

graduate degrees from member

universities through coursework

offered at the institute.

– Joe Morris Ph

oT

oS

By

Br

IAN

McC

or

d

24 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 25

health & Wellness

Whether it’s for advanced cardiac

care, outpatient surgery or just a

skinned knee, having quality health care

near home means peace of mind. In

Vicksburg, it also means river region

Medical Center.

The center, a part of river region

health System, continues to expand its

services to take care of the community.

It is the first accredited chest pain center

in Mississippi, at the front edge of both

diagnostic and treatment methods in

many other specialties.

chest pain center accreditatiOn achieVed

Accreditation from the Society of

Chest Pain Centers means the heart

& Vascular Center at region river’s

protocols, systems and approach to

patient management all work to reduce

time needed for the fastest, best

treatment when a heart episode

is occurring or about to occur.

Accreditation also means that hospital

administrators and staff have met

rigorous requirements that include

on-site evaluations in several areas.

Beyond its heart care facilities,

river region also excels in emergency

services, with a fully integrated

emergency room tied into the local

emergency medical system. other

on-site facilities include physician

practice clinics, an outpatient diagnostic

imaging center, orthopedics clinic, street

clinic, pain medicine clinic and a chemical

dependency unit.

neW hOspitalist prOgram adds extra layer OF care

river region also has launched a

hospitalist program, which will enhance

patient care by stepping up physician

accessibility and treatment coordination.

hospitalists are doctors who focus on

illnesses that require hospitalization.

They work with patients and physicians,

and are on call around the clock. This gives

them special expertise, and provides

river region’s physicians and staff with

an extra layer of service for patients.

All this takes a lot of room, so it’s small

wonder river region is the largest single

hospital project ever built in Mississippi.

The 372-bed complex has nine

surgery suites, one just for open heart

procedures, three cardiac catheterization

labs, gI suites, a digital mammography

area and an imaging department with

a 64-slice CT scanner under its roof.

– Joe Morris

the heart of the matterriVer region Medical center giVes VicksBurg toP cardiac care

river region Medical center in Vicksburg, part of river region health system PhoTo By BrIAN McCord

What’s Online

For more insight on Vicksburg’s health and

wellness offerings, head to imagesvicksburg.com.

24 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 25

iMagesVicksBurg .coM 27 26 VicksBurg

local Flavor

Br

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iMagesVicksBurg .coM 27

For those who think Southern cooking is limited to meat ’n’

threes, Vicksburg is a culinary eye-opener of the first order.

Sure, there are plenty of home-style, blue-plate specials to be enjoyed, including the legendary fried chicken at Walnut hills, but the city also boasts a tempting array of new twists on old ideas, as well as infusions of other cultures.

caFé anchuca, cedar grOVe lend histOrical air

A mainstay for tourists and locals alike is Anchuca historic Mansion and Inn, and its Café Anchuca where the filet is so tender only butter knives are issued to cut it (the Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie doesn’t last long either). At the Cedar grove Mansion Inn & restaurant, another antebellum favorite, specialties include wild game and mint juleps.

goldie’s Trail Bar-B-Que, recently celebrated 50 years of serving up delicious meals with all the fixin’s that are tasty every time. For authentic fried catfish, diners head to rowdy’s for their thick or thin cut fish and top it off with the secret-recipe Nosser sauce.

rOca tees OFF With great cuisine

overlooking the golf course

at the Vicksburg Country Club

is roCA restaurant & Bar.

run by Jay Parmegiani, a third-

generation chef, roCA serves

lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch.

Parmegiani has created a

sophisticated yet familiar menu

that includes such mouth-watering

entrees as crispy soft shell crab

with Mississippi comeback sauce,

angus filet with cabernet-shallot

compound butter and buttermilk

fried chicken breast drizzled with

maple chili glaze.

dOWntOWn district OFFers rusty’s, main street market

Steak and seafood lovers

know they’ve got plenty to

choose from in the downtown

district, including rusty’s

riverfront grill and its justifiably

famous fried green tomatoes

with lump crab meat appetizer.

A newcomer to the downtown

scene, duff’s Tavern offers a wide

range of menu choices from

steaks to traditional Cajun dishes.

There’s even more Creole and

Cajun to be had at the family-run

Main Street Market nearby.

even with all this to choose from,

some do-it-yourselfers still want

to wear the chef’s toque, so the

Vicksburg Farmers’ Market does

a booming business at the corner

of grove and levee streets from

June through August. Both food

supplier and community gathering

place, the market represents

everything that’s fresh and lively

on the Vicksburg food scene.

– Joe Morris

What’s for dinner? there are Plenty of delicious food choices in VicksBurg

a popular duck and sweet potato dish at roca restaurant & Bar

28 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 29

M ilitary history buffs and scholars alike descend

in droves on the Vicksburg National Military

Park and the nearby Vicksburg Battlefield Museum.

But once here they quickly learn that the arts and

culture scene in the red Carpet City of the South

encompasses more than the city’s Civil War legacy.

cOnFederate memOrials, museumsThe park commemorates the campaign, siege

and defense of Vicksburg – the gibraltar of the

Confederacy – prior to its surrender on July 4, 1863,

and contains more than 1,340 monuments, a

restored union gunboat and a national cemetery.

The museum is the combination of the Vanishing

glory and gray & Blue Naval museums, and has

become so well known for its collection that it was

referred to as a “gold mine” by producers for the

history Channel’s Great Ships series.

get a top-down view of Vicksburg at the

Southern Cultural heritage Center, a collection of

buildings erected between 1830 and 1955. Formerly

the St. Francis Xavier Convent and Academy, the

compound now is operated by the Southern Cultural

heritage Foundation, and has become a space that

celebrates all aspects of the lower Mississippi delta.

riVerFest, Juneteenth highlight FestiVals calendar

Above and beyond its rich historical offerings,

Vicksburg’s present is dotted with festivals and

other activities year round. From the Vicksburg

Mardi gras Ball to riverfest, the Chamber Music

Festival, Juneteenth heritage celebration, historic

downtown Fall Festival and Confederate Christmas

Ball, calendars here stay full.With all this to capture, it’s no wonder Vicksburg’s

art scene is nationally renowned. A current leading light is h.C. Porter, whose downtown gallery features photographs from her collection and book, Backyards & Beyond: Mississippians and Their Stories, which chronicles the devastation and recovery from hurricane katrina. There’s also

a cultured pearlVicksBurg’s ciVil war history, southern charM add to liVely arts, entertainMent scene

28 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 29

the Vicksburg Art Association with its monthly meetings and competitive exhibitions in the landmark old Constitution Firehouse, the most intact Victorian fire station in the state. And then there’s the riverfront Mural Project, a recently completed, eight-year effort by artist robert dafford to install 32 murals on the downtown flood wall.

tOur histOric Vicksburg hOmes, murals

The home life of Vicksburg’s earlier residents

comes alive during Tapestry: A Pilgrimage to

Vicksburg, an annual tour of homes that opens up

16 of the city’s most historic properties, such as the

duff green Mansion and Cedar grove Mansion. And

on the civic and business side of things, the old

Court house Museum offers up the chance to see

where everyone from ulysses S. grant to Teddy

roosevelt and Booker T. Washington stood and

spoke, while the Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum

showcases the beginnings of the legendary soft

drink, and houses authentic restorations of its candy

store and office area from the 1890s. – Joe Morris

Ph

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Br

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McC

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Clockwise from top left: duff green Mansion, part of the annual Vicksburg spring Pilgrimage; John e. smith monument at Vicksburg national Military Park; Biedenhard coca-cola Museum; cedar grove Mansion; Biedenhard coca-cola Museum

Arts & Culture

30 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 31

W ith the Mississippi river at its border, small wonder that Vicksburg is a boating town.

But with running, fishing, hiking, hunting, birding and more, there’s no need to get wet to enjoy the natural beauty here.

mississippi, yazOO riVers OFFer bOating, kayaking

In addition to the Mississippi, there’s plenty of

boating, canoeing and kayaking on the yazoo river

and lake Centennial, where everglades-like

conditions provide safe harbor for bald eagles,

blue herons, pelicans and more. The water’s also

the locale for the annual BluzCruz Marathon, a

22-mile canoe and kayak race on the Mississippi.

The race is held during riverfest, an annual April

festival that also includes an arts and craft show,

live music and plenty of food.

Paddlers often stumble across birders, and no

wonder. In addition to the eagles and other rare

World of Water & WildernessVicksBurg outdoors offers Boating, hunting, Birding and More

Sports & recreation

tara wildlife near eagle lake has a reputation as one of the best hunting spots in Mississippi. PhoTo By ANToNy BoShIer

30 VicksBurg iMagesVicksBurg .coM 31

avian residents of the area,

Vicksburg’s also home

to Mississippi’s only Audubon

Nature Store, where all purchases

help the organization’s

conservation work

throughout the state.

tara WildliFerural enthusiasts on both land

and sea enjoy getting out to Tara

Wildlife, about 30 miles northwest

of town. Tara has 17,200 acres of

oxbow lakes and bottom-land

hardwood forests, as well as 12

miles of river frontage, making it a

deer and turkey hunter’s paradise.

It also sports a new 5,700-square-

foot conference center, making it

a corporate retreat destination as

well. Warren County also provided

the perfect terrain for the 2010

Championship Stake of the

National retriever Club.

runs, races, parks keep dOWntOWn Vicksburg busy

The river’s the center of activity

for the over the river run, a

5-mile run and race/walk across

the old Vicksburg Mississippi

river Bridge. The race has gone

on for more than two decades

and brings in hundreds of

enthusiastic participants, many

of whom also take part in the 10k

and 5k portions of the run Thru

history race, a 32-year-old

tradition that begins in Vicksburg

National Military Park and draws

more than 1,000 runners.The city center also is home to

the Art Park at Catfish row, a $2.8 million adventure into the history of the Mississippi river and the paddle-wheel steamboats that used to travel it. A splash fountain, garden walks and murals along the levee Street flood wall are all part of the park’s charm.

Vicksburg is well aware of

its natural beauty, so a tip of

the hat to the city’s Parks and

recreation department, which

watches over 15 playgrounds,

eight baseball fields, five softball

fields, an olympic-size pool and

10 tennis courts. – Joe Morris

visit ouradvertisers2R3 Properties LLC

Anchucawww.anchuca.com

BancorpSouthwww.bancorpsouth.com

Blackburn Motor Companywww.blackburnmotor.com

City of Vicksburgwww.vicksburg.org

Diamond Jackswww.diamondjacks.com

Hinds Community Collegewww.hindscc.edu

River Region Health Systemwww.riverregion.com

Trustmark Bank www.trustmark.com

Vicksburg Convention & Visitors Bureauwww.visitvicksburg.com

Vicksburg Convention Center & Auditoriumwww.vccmeet.com

Vicksburg Toyotawww.vicksburgtoyota.com

Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commercewww.vicksburgchamber.org

6039-TR12260M_TGB_Livability.indd 1 3/22/10 11:40:09 AM

32 VicksBurg

SNApSHOTVicksburg is a thriving, modern community with amazing

architecture, a vibrant cultural scene, rich history and

year-round recreational activities.

COMMuNITy pROFIlE

Executive Rentals One or Two Bedrooms

Homes With Spectacular River View

2R3 PRoPeRties – (601) 415-3299

ClIMATE OVERVIEW

Mississippi has short winters

and long, humid summers.

Summer temperatures vary

little from one part of the

state to another. Because of

the temperate influence of

the gulf of Mexico, however,

the southern coast is much

warmer than the northern part

of the state during the winter.

92° FJuly average high

36° FJanuary average low

58”annual rain fall (vs. national average annual rain fall of 37”)

TIME zONE

Central

COST OF lIVINg

$42,880Median household income

$139,000average home Price

$674Median rent for a two-Bedroom apartment

HOuSEHOlD INFORMATION

24,896total Population

36Median resident age

48% Married

52% single

30% age 19 and under

45% age 20-54

25% age 55 and over

48% white

49% Black

1% hispanic

2% other

TRANSpORTATION

17 minutesMedian travel time to work

closest airport:Jackson-evers International www.jmaa.com

iMagesVicksBurg .coM 33

Through the lens

now that you’ve experienced Vicksburg through our photos, see it through the eyes of our photographers. Visit imagesvicksburg.com to view our exclusive photographers’ blog documenting what all went in to capturing those perfect moments.

While shooting for Images Vicksburg, I stumbled upon the

Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum

where Coke was first bottled in

1894. I walked inside to check it

out and I saw this family standing

at the counter. It reminded me

of a Norman rockwell painting –

they looked like the perfect

American family in a warm and

friendly atmosphere. I grabbed

a couple of quick shots as they

enjoyed a local history lesson

and soda fountain treat at the

downtown museum.

The store has displays and

furnishings from the 1890s, and

offers ice cream, fountain Cokes,

Coke floats and souvenirs.

FrOm Our phOtO blOg: Vicksburg

PoSTed By BrIAN McCord

get the story behind the photo

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A Reason for Every Season in Vicksburg!For meeting, eating and needing services, these Vicksburg businesses are eager to help.

Main Street Program 1000 Levee St.

Vicksburg, MS 39180 Office: (601) 634-4527 Cell: (601) 831-8043

www.downtownvicksburg.com

Vicksburg Convention Center & Auditorium

1600 Mulberry St. Vicksburg, MS 39180

(866) 822-6368 www.vicksburgevents.com

Wilsonwood Lodge 1040 Mallet Rd.

Vicksburg, MS 39180 (601) 636-0300

www.wilsonwoodlodge.com

Rusty’s Riverfront Grill 901 Washington St.

Vicksburg, MS 39180 (601) 638-2030

www.rustysriverfront.com

2566 S. Frontage Rd., Ste. C Vicksburg, MS 39180

(601) 630-9966 www.staffltd.com

916 Belmont St., Ste. 2 Vicksburg, MS 39180

(601) 619-0204 www.edwardjones.com

Wayne V. Pratt, AAMS®

Financial Advisor